Tag Archives: Queens High School of teaching

Schools and security improvement community projects in District 23 are winners of more than $1.1 million in city funding after participatory budgeting voting.

Councilman Mark Weprin announced results Wednesday of the initiative, which allows residents to vote for which community projects their elected officials should allocate money toward.

The top voted project—at 1,166 votes—was smart boards for five schools throughout the district at a cost of $450,000. P.S. 33 will get 40 smart boards, I.S. 109 will get 20, P.S./I.S. 266 will get 15, Benjamin Cardozo High School will receive five and Queens High School of Teaching will get 20.

“We’re ecstatic,” said Jae Cho, principal of Queens High School of Teaching. “Our kids are going to benefit tremendously from it.”

Technology upgrades at two schools, P.S. 135 and P.S. 18, for a cost of $85,785 got fourth place with 699 votes.

Besides schools projects, security initiatives were also popular.

NYPD security cameras within the district, for a cost of $105,000, received 718 votes for third place. The locations for the cameras have yet to be determined. Security upgrades for the Fresh Meadows, Hollis, and Windsor Park Queens Library branches, at $265,000, were the final winners with 671 votes.

A fitness walk and exercise loop at Cunningham Park for $200,000 came in second with 875 votes.

Originally, the initiative allowed for just $1 million, but the voted projects sum went over the limit, so Weprin added an additional $105,785.

This year, 1,888 people from the district voted, an increase of about 60 percent from last year.

“I think it’s great,” Weprin said. “When people get involved in their government they have more respect for their government.”

Despite the loss of powerhouse forward Sonny Okorie, the QHST Tigers (5-3) kicked off the first quarter with a 7-0 run. A series of quick turnovers on both ends of the court ended with Van Buren’s guard Darron Williams getting fouled, and putting his team on the board with two points.

But the Tigers smooth passes and ability to control the ball and execute shots soared over the Van Buren VeeBees (4-4) and they ended the half up by 10 points, 27-17.

The second half started up with several stand-out plays from QHST forward Michael O’Leary and guard Brandon Anderson. Both teams continued to be aggressive on steals, amounting as much as four steals in under a minute.

Despite doubling the VeeBees score, Shelton appeared displeased at the referees’ foul calls, but the Tigers continued to score regardless. Just before the quarter ended, QHST guard Keshaun Ellis made a behind-the-back assist and brought the score to 47-23.

Several times throughout the game, Van Buren passed the ball directly into the hands of the QHST players. But before the fourth quarter, Edwards took Williams aside to talk strategy for the final minutes. But despite the pep talk and a big block from VeeBees guard Dayvon Lloyd on O’Leary, the Tigers came out victorious and ended the game 69-29.

This is the Tigers first season in the AA division and as of press time placed third overall in the borough, behind High School for Construction and the Benjamin N. Cardozo High School.

“I think we’re doing better than others expect,” Shelton said.

He added the majority of his varsity team is underclassmen so he is “excited” for the years to come, building on what they have.

Jasmine Bustos was determined not to leave the PSAL Division B girls soccer finals on Randall’s Island without a championship.

The Queens High School of Teaching girls soccer senior forward has netted more than 70 goals in her high school career, and was third in the entire city with 40 goals this season, but the championship game was her last chance to add a high school title to her resume before graduation.

Bustos earned her crown by pulling off a hat trick, leading the Tigers to a 4-0 win over the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts Lady Legends on Saturday.

“It’s my last year and I really wanted this,” Bustos said, “I knew we had to pull it off this game or that was it.”

Bustos scored two goals in the second half and one in the first to give the Tigers a secure lead. Her third goal came in the 54th minute after she skillfully received a pass, weaved through defenders, ran up the right flank and blasted a rocket shot, which ricocheted off the goalie’s hands into the net.

That final goal came just eight minutes after her second, in which she dribbled around two defenders and hooked a shot on the opposite side of the diving goalkeeper.

“Just score, because it’s all for the team,” Bustos said she was thinking all game. But she added, “I didn’t think I was going to score three this game.”

Coming into the match head coach Alfonso Fernandez had a few words for his players.

“I told the girls to be strong,” he said.

The girls executed aggressively, just as Fernandez ordered. Bustos netted her first goal in the 12th minute and junior Makenzie Saborowski scored a goal later in the half. Saborowski smashed a free kick from about 35 yards out that floated perfectly over the goalie and found the back of the net.

“I knew it was going in,” she said. “I was aiming for the goal.”

During the season, the Tigers battled Frank Sinatra for the top of the Queens B-V conference. The teams tied as the regular season champions, each with a record of 11-1. The one loss each team had was a result of the split in their two previous matches.

The chilly championship game served as a decisive end for the rivals, and HS of Teaching dominated.

“I am very excited, because they’ve worked so hard all year,” HS of Teaching principal Jae Cho said. “Coach Alfonzo has really dedicated a lot of time to the girls. I am really happy to see the results of their hard work.”